DOJ vows justice for massacre victims

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has vowed that justice will be served families of victims of the Maguindanao Massacre under the Duterte administration.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre 2nd said DOJ prosecutors are doing their best to expedite the case and bring justice to the victims.

“The Department of Justice reiterates its commitment to the quest for the elusive justice [sought by]the families of the victims. We will do all that we can to make the wheels of justice turn faster not only in this case but in other cases,” Aguirre added in a statement.

The gruesome incident on November 23, 2009 left 58 people dead, 32 of them journalists.

Aguirre promised to secure conviction of the principal accused in the multiple murder case “in the next few years.”

The case is pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 under Judge Jocelyn Reyes.

The principal accused in the multiple murder case are Andal “Datu Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. and his brother Zaldy Ampatuan.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court (SC) spokesman Theodore Te disclosed that the trial of all accused in the Maguindanao Massacre case is halfway through.

The High Court released an update on the case, saying the lower court has reached the presentation of the defense’s evidence.

“It is now the turn of the defense to present its evidence-in-chief. Nine of the accused who were the subject of the first batch of defense’s FOE [formal offer of evidence]resolved by the court on June 13, 2016 have already either presented their defense evidence or filed a demurrer to evidence. Only one accused of the nine is still presenting defense evidence,” the SC stated.